Gas fired revolving heater



Jan. 31, 1933. w. D. BELL GAS FIRED REVOLVING HEATER Filed Oct. 29, 19302 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WILLIAM D- BELL.

ATTORNEY Jan. 31, 1933. w. D. BELL GAS FIRED REVOLVING HEATER Filed Oct.29, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR WILL/AM 0. BELL M 8 Q W a2 m 1 r ma w r 1 l .5? i

T i lfii n I M fi/M. l 3 a 2 2 2 r 1 H my m n W MW u a a 4 n W1WMWW{WInfiwfiwhwwfl 1% y 6 P w M w a M J .M. 7 II A TTORNE Y Patented Jan. 31,1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM D. BELL, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO,ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO SUB- FACE COMBUSTION CORPORATION, OFTOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK GAS FIRED REVOLVING HEATERApplication filed October 29, 1930. Serial No. 492,070.

This invention relates togas-fired revolving heat radiators and theinvention consists, among other things, in the provision of a fan havinga hollow hub constituting a combustion chamber whereinto combustiblemixture is introduced for burning, the fan having hollow blades incommunication with said chamber, the products of combustion passingthrough said blades for heating the same in order that the air passingbetween the blades may be heated. The various fea tures of novelty andinvention will more fully appear from the detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein the preferred form ofthe in vention is shown.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the apparatus of my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

- Figure 4 is a front view of one of the blades of the fan;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a portion of the fan looking down uponthe rim showin the fan blade discharge opening;

Fig. 6 shows a modified form of driving mechanism for the fan.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a platform or base from which extends abracket comprising a lower portion 3 and an upper portion 9 terminatingin a circular flange 10. As shown in Fig. 6, a driving motor 2 may besecured to the flange 10 by bolts 11, the fan and motor shaft beingindicated at 14. As shown in Fig. 2, the driving motor 2 may besupported on the base 1 in which event the fan shaft 14 will be drivenby a belt 16 trained over pulleys 15 and 17 secured respectively to thefan shaft and motor shaft 18. Referring to Fig. 2, the fan shaft issupported in a bearing 13 having a circular flange 12 secured to theflange 10 by the bolts 11.

Supported by the bracket portion 3 and by arms 48 is an annular scrollor casing comprising walls 4, 5 and 6 and inwardly extending marginalrims 7 and 8 defining between them an annular passage wherethrough thefan blades project, the passage being substantially sealed b a rim late44 secured to the fan blades. T ere is, 0 course, suflic'ient clearancespace 46 to permit free rotation of the fan. The casing has a sideoutlet 47. The fan blades are hollow as indicated at 43, the walls ofthe blades being indicated at 41, 42. The hub 32 of the fan is hollow toform a combustion chamber 32. One side of the combustion chamber ispartlally closed by an inwardly extending wall 33 having a centralaperture 34.

Combustible mixture is introduced into the chamber 32 by a pipe 36having a circular flange 35 surrounded by a rim 35 which projects overthe edge of the hub 32 with sufficient clearance to permit free rotationof the fan. The pipe 36 is an extension of a mixing tube 36 having theusual flaring entrance 38 controlled by an air shutter 39. Gas isdischarged into the tube by a gas pipe 40 terminating in a jet orificenozzle 40'. Any suitable pilot means 37 shown as a spark plug, isprovided for igniting the combustible mixture. A bracket 37 secured tothe annular casing forms a support for the pipe 36 and parts associatedtherewith.

The other end of the combustion chamber 32 is closed by a head generallyindicated at 20, the head having a rim 31 to which the hub 32 is securedand having a hub 19 secured to the drivingshaft 14 (14 in Fig. 6). Thehead is preferably made in two sections 23 and 24 secured by bolts 22,the walls 21 and 25 of said sections forming between them a chamber 26shown as divided by a partition 27 which is clamped between saidsections. Spaced from the wall 25 by lugs 30 is a baflie plate 29.

The primary purpose of the chamber 26 1n the head 20 is to prevent freetransfer of heat from the combustion chamber 32, the baffle 29 alsofunctioning to that end. To facilitate the abstraction of heat from thehead, provision is made for passing air there through into thecombustion chamber 32'. Thus the outer Wall 21 is provided with one ormore apertures 27*; the partition 27 with a central aperture 27, and theinner wall with a central aperture 28., The baflie 29 deflects the airradially from the aperture 28 and, of

and is extended beyond the head and rovided with vanes 27 for assistingin the issipation of heat absorbed by the artition. It will now bereadily appreciate that the air which flows through the head into thecombustion chamber abstracts heat from the head and, therefore, not onlassists in keeping the head cool but the air is preheated beforeentering the combustion chamber thereby materially increasing thee-fiiciency of the heating unit as a whole.

The mode of operation may be briefly described as follows: The purposeof the aparatus is, of course, to heat the air passing etween the fanblades when the fan is in motion. The hot gases generated in thecombustion chamber 32 flow outwardly through the hollow blades of thefan thereby heating the blades. discharge into the annular casing aroundthe fan. The outlet 47 of the casing will be connected to an exhaustpipe for leading the gas to a suitable point of discharge.

Due to the rotation of the fan, a sub-atmospheric pressure exists in thecombustion chamber 32. Due to this fact, air will be induced to enterthe mixing tube 36' independently of the inducing effect of the jet ofgas from the gas nozzle 40 and consequently the resulting mixture can bemade to more nearly approach the proportions required to form anexplosive mixture, it being understood that as long as the velocity ofthe mixture in the pipe 36 is in excess of the rate of flame propagationthrough the mixture, back flash into the mixing tube will not occur.Such additional air as may be needed to insure complete combustion ofthe fuel will be furnished by the air passing through the head 20 andbetween the closure plate 35 and hub wall 33.

Having thus fully described my inventlon, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a revolving heater, the combination of a fan having a hollow hubforming a combustion chamber and having hollow blades in communicationwith said chamber, means for rotating said fan including a head forminga closure for one end of said chamber, and means for introducing atleast one of the constituents of combustion through said head.

2. In a revolving heater, the combination of a fan having a hollow hubforming a combustion chamber and having hollow blades in communicationwith said chamber, means The waste gases from the blades for rotatingsaid fan including a head forming a closure for one end of said chamber,and means for cooling said head including a passage for the flow of airthrough the head mto said chamber.

3. In a revolving heater, the combination of a fan having a hollow hubformin a combustion chamber and having hollow b ades in communicationwith said chamber, means for rotating said fan includin a head forming aclosure for one end of sai chamber, a chamber formed in said head, andmeans extendmg into said last mentioned chamber for abstracting heattherefrom.

4. In a revolving heater, the combination of a fan having a hollow hubformin a combustion chamber and having hollow b mice in communicationwith said chamber, means for rotating said fan including a head forminga closure for one end of said chamber, a

baflle carried by and spaced from the inner side of said head, and meansfor introducing air between the bafile and said head.

5. In a revolving heater, the combination of a fan having a hollow hubforming a combustion chamber and having hollow blades in communicationwith said chamber, means for rotating said fan including a head formmg aclosure for one end of said chamber, and means at the other end of saidchamber for introducing combustible mixture thereinto.

6. In a revolving heater, the combination of a fan having a hollow hubforming a combustion chamber and having hollow blades in communicationwith said chamber, means for rotating said fan including a head formmg aclosure for one end of said chamber a casing surrounding the fan forreceivin the waste gases of combustion discharged irom said blades, andmeans at one end of said chamber for deliverin combustible mixturethereinto for burning t erein.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my si ature.

WILLIAM D. B LL.

